Collection items

Playbill advertising the Cushman sisters as Romeo and Juliet

Information

Description

Romeo and Juliet starring the American Cushman sisters was a huge success. This playbill is from the final night of their triumphant engagement at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in 1846. Some critics voiced the opinion that only a woman was capable of effectively playing the romantic lead of Romeo, as the character’s fervent desires were incompatible with masculine ideals. There is little evidence that there were any outcries about a seeming portrayal of homosexual love on stage, although in fact Charlotte Cushman was a lesbian and subsequently played Romeo to at least two Juliets with whom she was romantically involved.

Explore further

Related articles

Over the course of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet goes from being a sheltered child to a young woman passionately in love. Penny Gay considers how this transformation, and its tragic consequences, are accompanied by Juliet's development as a poet.

Shakespeare’s life and world, Gender, sexuality, courtship and marriage

In Shakespeare's day, female parts were played by male actors, while more recently, actresses have taken on some of his most famous male roles such as Hamlet and Julius Caesar. Clare McManus explores gender in the history of Shakespeare performance.